Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire Review

As Precious as it's Name

My heart ached relentlessly during Precious, that I was wondering if I was going to make it threw the screening in one piece. This masterpiece by Lee Daniels, who brought us one of the best films of the decade, Monster's Ball, brings us another gem of a film. Precious, bussed, battered, raped, forcibly impregnated, and living in poverty. Is the victim of an abusive environment that strikes her soul to the point of no return. She finds love and care in two women that both seek out a better life for the young girl.

Gabourey Sidibe plays Precious. During the opening of the film, we discover what environment that this child has grown up in. Her mother, Mary ( Mo'Nique ), is a chain-smoking and chastiser, that finds the most minuscule thing to scorn her daughter. She is not a perfectionist. She enjoys mistreating her daughter, as she finds it a way to show her how much Mary has been stricken by life. She avoids the idea of mentally damaging her daughter, as well as avoids any other persons happenings with her. Precious's other parent, her father, sexually assaults and rapes Precious viciously. What does Mary do? She ignores it, then days later, attacks her verbally by telling her that the child has stolen her man.

Precous, down on her luck and torn apart by the life that she is in. Finds no help from anyone. No one cares or looks in her eyes. No one can tell that this child has been wronged. Because no one cares. They pass her by and she has no one to give her a hand. Until, at school, she meets Ms. Rain ( Paula Patton ). The girl's new teacher that finds something strange about the girl. She doesn't communicate during the lessons and gives off a soulless vibe. The teachers heart goes out to the girl. She studies with Precious and befriends her. It's in this that she can see the girl's hurt. She doesn't probe her for information as she can see that the girl will not say anything, out of fear. But she gives her a shoulder to lean on.

She isn't the only good Samaritan. Ms. Wiess ( Mariah Carey ), is a social worker, who also tries to help the girl. Her life goal is helping the down-trotted and Precious is a star in her eye's. She loves children and Precious is a soul that she can't see hurt anymore.When Precious goes to these two women and tells them that she is pregnant. She is fear-full of what they will think of her. The father of the child, is the father of the mother. As she is a victim of molestation and rape. She tells no one her situation. Precious's mother just scorns her when she finds out who the father is. But Ms. Wiess and Ms. Rain's reaction to the news, is not at all the reaction that Precious expected. They are filled with joy. They seek out help for the girl and her unborn child. Telling her words of love and comfort.

I will not ruin the climax of the film. As it is a truly remarkable in the sense of the word. Lee Daniels takes us to the edges of our emotional threshold, and brings us to the core of our hearts. Precious is based on a novel by a person called Sapphire. I have never heard of the book or it's author. But it's the next thing on my list. I am not sure how the original story matches up with this beautiful tale, but one thing for sure, is that the film incarnation is put together by geniuses.

Daniel's has put together a cast that is brilliantly staged together in this film. I would have never thought that Mariah Carey or Paula Patton, who have both done some acting in the past, could pull off a character, each, that speaks to the audience so well. Both actresses were required much from themselves and they delivered some of the best acting you will see in a movie this year. But the most heartfelt performance of the film is Gabourey Sidibe as Precious. In the actress's debut role. She brings so much to the character and the audience that it's staggering, and puts her on my personal Oscar shortlist of performances to watch for. In fact, she may win. Because, at this moment, in this role, she utilizes every ounce of her being in a role that is unknowing to herself. That's what makes a great performances, a step back to check yourself and step into the shoes of the unknown.

4 out of 4

New Moon Shatters Midnight Records

I think it goes without saying that New Moon will be #1 at the box office this weekend. The film is garnering a staggeringly large audience in theaters. The film has shattered the midnight release record that was originally held by Harry Potter earlier this year. That movie pulled in 22.2 million on its midnight showing. New Moon, just cracked 26.27 million in 3,514 theaters. The word of this came out today by the LA Times that read:

LA Times Reports

Two people close to the picture said the exact gross, which is still being calculated by Summit Entertainment, could be as high as $26 million.

Update: It was calculated this afternoon at 26.27 million

The first film made 1.3 million in its midnight release, so it goes without saying that the fan-base has enlarged since the first film. I have no idea how much this film will take in when its all said and done. But, as my review reads, as much as I hated the film, I am very curious as how much people will flock to the theater to see this movie. Look for more ranting on the movie on tonight's show.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon Review

Teens wander aimlessly in non-existent conflict

The original film in the newly named "The Twilight Saga", was a passable low-rent vampire film, that was able to skim by due to being just mediocre. I saw the film and didn't think that, as far as people outside of the intended audience, that it was a terrible film. However that film was, "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" ( Man, that's a mouthful ), doesn't even reach zero. This film is overladen with terrible teen melodrama that makes any other film from this sub-genre look like Citizen Kane. Seriously, think of all those Freddie Prince film's where he kissed the girl at the end. Well, that might as well be as pivotal as the infamous "rosebud" unveiling at the end of that classic.

If you have ever seen any of these films and experienced these characters in there state of bewilderment and there longing for one another, and hated it, then New Moon will seem like movie hell to you. From the opening credits we realize that the people have one, maybe two, notable characteristics. That they constantly will walk broodingly and talk in a monotone voice. What will they talk about? Honestly, I can't really say. Threw-out the film I realized that no matter what plot point that took place, I was never going to understand the motivations of the characters. The situations there in are more dire in there minds, then anything that translates to the audience.

The story takes place an unknown time after the last film. I was stunned as the film began. If you saw the last film, the movie ended on a somewhat somber dance scene, after a moment where Bella ( Kristen Stewart ) was seriously injured during an attack. This film, takes place with Bella still in the care of her divorced father. Other then the fact that I was left thinking that the first film was basically void, since everything that happened, now, means nothing. I was reassured that this is a movie where, the young, are smarter then the old. Her father says to her, "You are grounded for the rest of your life." Then disappears for most of the film to advance the plot. His daughter, now having no one to watch her ( Oh, yeah, she is 17. ) is free to leave the house to find her lover and, just like before, get into trouble.

So, eventually, she meets up with Edward ( Robert Pattinson ), because her hormones can't handle a moment without him. All I could think is how is this guy repeating the 12Th grade again. Isn't he like 100 or something? At my old high school if you didn't' pass by 21 you are kicked out. Whatever, I guess. When Bella meets up with the guy, he is found walking slowly down a parking lot. Where he looks at the camera and looks up strangely, and longingly, like one of those models that are uncomfortable to look at. Every female in the audience lost it during this scene. It's then that I realized why that character exists.

Bella and Edward bicker and fight, push and tug. Bella wants to be with Edward, yet, Edward wants her to move on. As he says in the movie, "Your not meant to be with me." But then again, it is also apparent that he doesn't feast on blood. So why the whole plot device of him trying to fight his urge to bite her, if he doesn't like blood. Again, just another element to forward the story. Let me give you a little context. There is one scene where Bella bleeds and other members of the Cullen vampire clan ( The main group of vampires. ) leap on her to suck her dry. Edward does not, then explains later that blood doesn't satisfy him. There is no reason then for him to want to avoid her.

So Edward leaves, Bella finds solace in Jake ( Taylor Launter ). They both fall in a deep trance like romance ( At least I think ) that, like the rest of the film, is manufactured and contrived. She oggles at his body, he looks longingly at the sky during the winter. There relationship is as boring as Edwards love affair with Bella. Does she just pick strange people to be attracted to or is it the other way around. I am in the middle on that analysis.

Jake is no different then the rest of the vampire characters in the film. He, seemingly lives in poverty, yet, can afford clothes that seem only the reach and famous can don. He wants nothing more then to be looked at as a sex symbol, and yes, he will. The biggest reveal of the character is that he can turn into a werewolf. When he does, Bella asks him "Can't you just stop?". Jake replies, "It's not a life choice, Bella."

 turned my eye's not just at this poorly written scene, but every scene of the movie. In New Moon, everyone talks like a drone of a Hollywood script. You could argue that every movie is a catalyst for it's characters, but here its just absurd. There is no connection to any person and everyone else. The story is so minuscule that any resemblance of a script is either the very definition of piece-meal or completely non-existent.

The rest of the film boils down in teen-angst mixed with Interview with a Vampire. The problem is, that movie was at least good. This one is just loathsome. We find out that Jake is controlled ( I think ) by a threesome group of wolves that are all out to get him. Honestly, that's all I can get out of it. The story cuts away from the fighting to Bella writing letters to her old friend Alice from the previous film. Does she explain why she finds herself attracted to madness...not in the least.

Now that I have explained the story in some form or another. Let me rant even more. If you read into the Twilight storyline and understand some of the motivations of the characters. You will find that the story is a giant metaphor for a few things. Here is the layout of the first film:

1. Girl wants to have sex with Boy.

2. Boy says "No", I might bite you. METAPHOR FOR AIDS!

Is it a metaphor for aids or a lesson of staying abstinent? I have no clue, all I know is that the way New Moon plays out is like an in message that sometime between the films, Bella and Edward, made love. If that's what sex between the two would be called. Thus, its in this, that New Moon played out more like saying that the price for losing your virginity is to be caught up in madness. The guy, Edward, is always a little low key and calm. Where as the girl, is, even more so in this film, more fidgety and helpless. I was talking to a fellow viewer at the theater I saw the movie in. She told me that she had the same ideas as I did. Then she posed an even more interesting philosophy to that idea. That the lesson of New Moon, is that women are the lesser sex.

I don't believe that anymore then I believe anything in this film. I have stated that Twilight wasn't a horrible film. This one is different. It's so audacious in its awfulness, that only Hollywood, and a large budget, and a script targeted only at gaining large audiences can make. I felt like I was watching an in-joke. A film that will be looked at in the future as a bullet point for how not to make a movie.

And lastly, here is the worst and most offensive part of New Moon. This series is aimed at a target audience that is made primarily of teens. That's fine, as there are lots of films aimed at a specific group of people. Last years Twilight was a film that was targeted at that audience and delivered in some ways what they were wanting. New Moon, is a very different beast. It goes so far off the rails of reasonable entertainment to please its fan base. Everything that encumbered the original as far as sex and glorifying of the body is here in overkill. The film-makers were given license to over shower the film with everything that the audience wanted from the first. They even dumbed down the intelligence of the film to a level of idiocracy, so that the people watching it are not bothered by trying to think, so they can do what they did in the first. If lowering yourself to becoming a mindless drone is what the new generation is all about. Then the 2012 conspiracy seems more like a cleansing of the planet, then a catastrophe.

Most will look at this review and say that I am overreacting. Or say that I am not the target audience for this film, and that I just don't get it. Well, I am not the target audience. I do get it. And, as I said before, Twilight was OK. New Moon is just that bad.

Zero Stars

New Moon is Selling Out!

Well, this is interesting! Apparently all of the theaters in my local town are having mid-night releases for New Moon and are showing the film in multiple theaters. I actually called up some of the theaters out of curiosity ( And to inform you people ) of how many tickets are being sold. Well, the Rave Motion Pictures in my town is completely sold out for all 8 of its screenings. The theater in the Eastdale Male is sold out in its 4 screenings. And the Carmike theater is sold out in it's 5 screenings.

OK, I think it may go without question that this movie is going to break records as far as mid-night releases are concerned. Earlier this year I reviewed the Harry Potter film at the mid-night release. I talked about how crowded the theater was and, MAN, it was. That film shattered the mid-night release records and it still didn't sell out in any of my local theaters. That's probably saying something for how New Moon may actually perform.

I'll be honest when I say I personally don't understand why these film capture people's attention at all. Even the audience that its targeted at. But then again, I am not apart of that audience so I probably shouldn't get it at all. I didn't hate the original Twilight film, as I thought it was passable in some ways. But as for someone who has seen New Moon, I don't think that this one will actually captivate it's audience as the first film, apparently, did. I actually re-watched the first film to see if some questions I had would be clarified even better, yet, I was left unanswered.

I am not sure how the film will perform, since no word on early selling out has hit the press. But I just wanted to let you guys in on an interesting couple of calls I made. I can't give a verdict yet of the movie. But check back on the site Friday and I'll have it up.

For the four of you who care. Kate being one of you.

Quickie Reviews GALORE!

As you fellow readers have already known for a while, I took a little break from reviewing movies due to personal business I have had to attend to recently. Well, now, I am back and ready to give you guys the movie coverage I once tried to give you. There were some movies that I talked about on the show. So, while it may be a little late for a review, I will give you guys a quickie review list here on this post.

Pirate Radio

Director and writer Richard Curtis, who brought us the charming Four Weddings and a Funeral, provides us with no charm withPirate Radio. The film is a nice concept with no follow up. Here is the premise, an illegal radio show on a boat that floats out to sea. Well, that's basically all there is to the film. It tries to follow some different misadventures of the crew, but at one point I ceased to care. I was once asked if I ever walk out of movies. My answer is no, but I constantly was tapping my feet during this debacle. It's a music period piece that takes place in the 1960's, but plays music that was recorded in the 1970's and 80's. Need I say more?

1 out of 4

2012

No one likes to end the world more then Roland Emmerich. He has frozen the planet, had it's people enslaved by aliens, and at one point took his focus off the whole planet and on to Manhattan. To do what? Let Godzilla destroy it and have people run for there lives. In his latest film, Emmerich decides to take advantage of the 2012 conspiracy that says the end of the world is neigh. He destroys the world and people try to survive. It's a little redundant and preposterous how he does it here. But any film that shows you thousands ( If not millions ) of people dying on screen by an earthquake, then shows us a limo containing there heroes as they somehow are able to escape the disaster is somehow thrilling.

3 out of 4

  

Saw VI

Saw VI did actually bring some closure to the Saw story for me. Not by concluding any of the monotonous story arcs, but by embedding in my mind the realization that this series isn't going south of purgatory and time soon. This one actually interested me in that it's the worst written of the six films. I guess they know have listen to the way kids talk today since their the only ones who care about these films.

1 out of 4

 

Amelia

Based on a true story of Amelia Earhart's journey to fly around the world in 1937. This interesting character study is a little by the books, but kept the viewer locked in during most of it's 111 minute run-time, due to actress Hilary Swank. The two time Oscar winner is, yet again, in top form here. And may be looking at another Oscar nomination for her work in Amelia. The film, doesn't try to explain it's ideas behind why Amelia disappeared on her quest. But a biographical film is nothing without a lead to fit the bill, and Swank makes up for what is lacking in the script.

3 out of 4